By Vicki Scott
With two accounts of an opossum playing dead in our fenced-in yard still fresh on my mind, I heard our dogs having a barking fit around our shed in the backyard. Sandy, our border collie that looks like a yellow lab had her “boo-hiney” sticking up as her head was hidden under the shed. Reba was pacing back and forth looking and barking. I just prayed that it wasn’t a cat.
I thought no more about the episode as I left for my next adventure at George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe.
When I returned home later that day, my husband Alan asked if I saw the dead opossum around the shed. I told him that must have been what the dogs were fussing over and asked if it was really dead. He said that it had to be dead since he had to get rid of the animal. I felt badly for the opossum but was glad that it was not a cat. Most critters will live a full life if they stay in the woods, but some get suicidal and venture into our yard.
The next day at the center, I shared my experience with everyone who would listen. Pat, our center director, does “Comedy Central with Pat” and reads one about Himalayan Opossum soup. She said she saw the creature “a layin’ in my yard!” A.W. Richardson brings in many of Pat’s jokes, so what were the odds that he would find one about an opossum that would relate to my opossum situation? If that wasn’t enough, there were holes in the back-bottom part of my shirt that inspired Pat and Deidre to claim the opossum tried to bite me. There might have been a few laughs about that.
The next day, one of our seniors had to go to the doctor because she threw her back out laughing at us. I have never had that happen before! I love to make people laugh but I did not realize that it might be dangerous. There might be something wrong with me, but I am pretty proud of myself, but y’all should be careful around Pat and me!
The adventures continue at the George Wallace Senior Center as we strive to use humor whenever we can in everyday life. We are very much alive, so there’s no need to play dead. Life is too short and we need to enjoy it, but be careful not to laugh too hard!
Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful! – Philippians 4:4 (NIRV).